iMac vs. Hackintosh

I like feeling like I'm getting a good value. I recently had a discussion where I said that I will never buy an Apple desktop, because I believe they are overpriced. Since I've built two "hackintosh" machines in the last year, I've learned that you don't need to spend a lot just to have a functional OS X computer. I've included a quick price comparison below. I collected these prices from the Apple.com, Amazon.com, and Newegg.com on January 14, 2012.

This is a price comparison only. Although some of the components are known to be compatible with OS X, I've not tested nor confirmed the compatibility of all components listed below. Since I've now done this twice I know personally that the savings are real.

iMac: Intel i5 2.8 GHz quad core processor, 8 GB 1333 DDR3 RAM, 2 TB 7200 RPM Hard Drive, AMD 6770M Graphics, 21.5" IPS monitor - $2049

I know this isn't the best iMac and doesn't have the 27" screen, but I feel like that's a lot of money to spend on a computer without adding those features.

Equivalent Hackintosh:
CPU: Intel i5-2300 2.8 GHz Quad-Core - $185
RAM: 8GB DDR3 1333 - $40
HDD: 2 TB 7200 RPM - $200
GPU: AMD Radeon HD 6770 - $90
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3 - $150
Case: Rosewill Challenger Mid-Tower - $50
Power Supply: Rosewill Stallion Series RD450-2-SB 450W - $35
Optical Drive: LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X - $20
Webcam: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C910 - $64
Monitor: ASUS VS Series VS229H-P Black 21.5" 14ms HDMI IPS-Panel - $160
OS X: Snow Leopard and Lion Upgrade - $60
Lifestyle Software: iLife - $50

Total Cost: $1104

Total Hackintosh Savings: $2049 - $1104 = $945

Differences:

Yes, I left off keyboard, mouse, and speakers, but there should be enough difference in cost you can get those. You can even have the magic apple trackpad or mouse. The iLife software is not essential, but it comes with the iMac so I added it to the cost comparison. The hackintosh also has a better graphics card, as the 6770M is not equivalent to the 6770 desktop model. That becomes obvious when you look at the "Graphics Hierarchy Chart" from tomshardware.com.

Because of the flooding in Thailand hard drive prices are about double what they were 3 months ago. If those prices go back down the savings will increase further.

That's pretty amazing. Obviously, the hackintosh is not a simple self contained package like the iMac, but for $945 I can live with that relatively minor inconvenience.

In addition to the financial benefits the hackintosh also has the advantage of being able to easily upgrade and customize. You can buy exactly what you want and don't have to take your computer to the apple store when you need a larger hard drive or more RAM.

For example, many people want the 27" iMac. Because 27" IPS monitors with a 2560x1440 resolution are so expensive the 27" iMac does not show as large a percent savings when compared to a hackintosh, but it is still significant. Since the screen isn't integrated into a hackintosh like it is in an iMac, you also have more monitor options with a hackintosh. You can choose any size display that fits you needs and budget. The 27" screen is great but my favorite swap is to get two 23" IPS monitors at 1920x1080 for less than half the cost of the 27" and get 12.5% more screen area.

You can also save more money by customizing your computer to exactly what you need. If you can live with a TN display instead of an IPS display, that will save you about $40 in a 21.5". If you don't need firewire, which very few people use anyway, you can save up to $90 on a motherboard. If you don't need a gaming capable graphics card you can save an additional $90 by just using the integrated graphics in the CPU.

Summary:

Building a hackintosh is a good option if you want OS X, want to save money, and/or want more customization options. If you just want a functional machine to show up on your porch, then go to apple.com and buy your computer. Building a hackintosh is a project which requires patience, willingness to learn, willingness to adapt, and willingness to solve problems. If you want a fun challenging project build a hackintosh.

There's a whole hackintosh community out there but here are a few resources.
http://tonymacx86.blogspot.com/
http://www.hackintosh.com/
http://www.osx86project.org/
http://www.hackint0sh.org/